I am planning on buying a 61 in. ultrathin widescreen tv from Best Buy. The guy told me the connection cables will be around $700. He said if I don't get top of the line, I won't have a good picture. I was wondering if I really have to have the most expensive cables. I am getting HDtv when I buy the TV. I need to hook that up and a dvd player. (I am also hooking up a vcr, but I don't care if that has a quality picture because I barely use it.) I was thinking it might be cheaper to get the cables at Wal-Mart or somewhere. I have to buy the tv at best buy because I have $6,000 worth of gift cards and the tv is 6,500. I thought that was going to almost cover the tv. Then I find out the warranty is $400 and the cables are $700. I didn't even ask the price of a wall mount or stand. Could someone give me advice on cables? Also, would I be better off just to get one of the thin tvs that isn't as thin as the wall mount one? I just want a big widescreen tv that is good. Thanks

I'm glad you asked. Good cables can run about 10% or less of what he told you.

You need to figure out what cables you need and check some of the sources that have been mentioned in other threads. Try searching for "cables" in this forum.

Yeah I was browsing through BB the other day and saw that they have signs in the TV section that basically says how you need to buy Monster Brand cables to get the most out of your big screen TV purchase. The way it's worded comes of sounding like the TV won't work any other way unless you bought Monster brand from them. While I agree that you shouldn't skimp on cables and use ones that aren't well made you can get well made cables much cheaper then the ones they're selling.

Strange since they dont work on comission why he would say that

Cables can cost that much but I would say that you can do just fine for far less than that.

I recommend www.bluejeanscable.com. P.S., that sales rep is full of sh**.

I assume that at that price, you are getting a plasma. Make sure that the set has HDMI or DVI connection that is HDCP complaint. Furthermore, you should get a DVD player that has HDMI/DVI out.

Or you can wait for the LG LDA511 DVD player to come out this May 2005 for 199, http://www.cnet.com/4520-10602_1-561...html?tag=brand

Thanks for the help. I am going to shop around for the cables. I thought that seemed high. I don't even know if the TV is Plasma. It is the only one they had that was that big and was ultra thin. They said it was wall mountable. I never even knew my DVD player might not work with it. I guess there are lots of things to find out before you buy. Thanks again.

Sounds like they want to make cash dollars as well as your GC money in the deal. I'd never have bought an HD set if my cables had cost me $700, that's for certain.

I was at BB today and they had a ton of the AR cables. Perhaps more then Monster. Wonder if they are switching over or what.

Yes, look around. If you are spending that much on a TV (even if they are GC people gave you), you really want to do some research.

And I agree with everyone else. Don't bother with the cable from BB, order on line from somewhere else. Also, I'd at least hesitate before spending $400 on a Warranty. 1st thing I would do is call the maker of the TV, find out exactly what the standard warranty is, then ask them if they have an extended warranty you can buy directly the cost and what is covered.